Is Tennessee a Title Contender?

[The Artful Dodger]

Remember, Florida EXPECTS to beat U.T. each season but U.T. HOPES to beat Florida. Each off season U.T. fans hope that the football God's will show us favor and we try to convince ourselves that "This is the year" but it never materializes.
Think about it! In 1998, when we beat Florida, We have homefield advantage, we had a superior team but we still needed over time to win and we technically won not because we did anything but we won because their kicker missed an overtime kick. Even with the best odds in our favor we had to go to o.t. to win.

We couldn't beat them with Muschamp as their coach. We couldn't beat them with Jeff Driscol as their q.b. We couldn't beat them with a 5th string q.b. who couldn't throw but had to rush for 300 yards against us.
Until we, as a team, buy in to a different mindset, we will always lose to them. We can't get discouraged when the game situation isn't going our way. We still have time to the clock to win it.

So a defeatist mindset will help Tennessee's players get over the hurdle at beat UF? Can't agree with that. The players need to realize the facts, and the facts are that Tennessee will field a better team than Florida for the first time since 2006 and maybe even before that. the game is at home. There are no excuses left.

 

[ClearwaterVol]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think Florida will be significantly weaker this year?

UF lost a alot of talent on both sides of the ball and I'm not convinced that those waiting to step up are of a typical Florida caliber. I don't think they are significantly worse, but losing their qb has them scrambling still. I watched all of their games last year and, imo, their record exceeded their talent.

 

[KBVol]

UF lost a alot of talent on both sides of the ball and I'm not convinced that those waiting to step up are of a typical Florida caliber. I don't think they are significantly worse, but losing their qb has them scrambling still. I watched all of their games last year and, imo, their record exceeded their talent.

I agree with your last sentence....and I'd much prefer that scenario to the opposite one for my team/headcoach. Florida has recruited well and CJM will be in year two after significantly overachieving in year one and I sincerely believe that'll make them a better overall team. Could be wrong, but I believe that. They've surely lost some pieces but I think they'll have plenty left to compete at a high level in the East.

 

[BACKDOC]

Just look at last yr. Just improve a little on 4th down D, and 4th quarter D, and we're there. How many teams played toe to toe with Alabammer last yr.??

 

[VolsRGood]

Last year Tennessee lost to Tennessee .... 3 times.

Sounds like a young team to me

 

[Rifleman]

Agree, with most of the OP, except for the part about the 1998 team being one of the best cfb teams ever.

I don't think that it was even the best team at Tennessee in the last quarter century. You could make a good argument that the 2001 team was better, and even the 95' 96' and 99' teams would have an argument for being better than the 98' team. There was so much that went right for that UT team. Hopefully we have seen enough bad luck that this team is as blessed as the 98' team. The only really bad luck I remember that year was losing Al Wilson for a few games.

The 1998 team was greater, not because it was more talented than the 2001 team or others you listed, but because it was more determined and those guys would not be denied.

The level of heart that team had is far rarer than talent and cannot be taught or manufactured. It came from the leaders on that team and instilled in every player.

Also, no one beat them. Not even a juggernaut FSU team that people would have had no problem putting down as a top team all time if we hadn't whupped 'em.

That's just my bias though.

 

[VolDave53]

Until the first game is played, every team is a contender! After week one, half are contenders.

 

[Iam4utalways]

Until the first game is played, every team is a contender! After week one, half are contenders.

Unless your ND or in a power 5 conference, your not a contender. Even after the first week many teams will not be exposed.

Our roster is stacked, CBJ has learned his lesson and went and got Shoop so even if he hasn't learned the lesson of what "a dagger to the heart" means, our team will roll out and handle business. #120 is better than #119.

It's time to enjoy this year and win. NC.

Jump higher Vols.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Think our front-heavy schedule knocks us out of contention early. Just too hard of a stretch to get by FL-GA-A&M-Bama unscathed. I think we lose 1 against FL or GA and lose another against Bama.

Pretty much knocks us out of contention right there. Dont see a two loss SEC team getting selected to the CFP unless the losses were extremely close coupled with a win against undefeated LSU or Bama team in the SECCG.

I think we're close to the top, but not quite there yet. There are some serious deficiencies in the passing game that have to be addressed before we can consider ourselves a title contender.

 

[Giveem6]

Did I see a Hokie roaming around here somewhere? Lolololol some could only wish to know what it's like to be a vols fan. Go home kid

 

[Crazy Ivan]

The 1998 team was greater, not because it was more talented than the 2001 team or others you listed, but because it was more determined and those guys would not be denied.

The level of heart that team had is far rarer than talent and cannot be taught or manufactured. It came from the leaders on that team and instilled in every player.

Also, no one beat them. Not even a juggernaut FSU team that people would have had no problem putting down as a top team all time if we hadn't whupped 'em.

That's just my bias though.

To put it more succinctly, the '98 team had Al Wilson. The '01 team didn't.

 

[Vfledits]

GEORGIA wins the sec east. VOLS not a contender this season.

Lol Delusional Hokies fan

 

[Rifleman]

To put it more succinctly, the '98 team had Al Wilson. The '01 team didn't.

:lolabove: Yeah, basically. Al Wilson required a higher standard of himself and everyone else.

Every great team has that guy that you can't look in the eye in the locker room if you leave anything on the field.

 

[Vfledits]

:lolabove: Yeah, basically. Al Wilson required a higher standard of himself and everyone else.

Every great team has that guy that you can't look in the eye in the locker room if you leave anything on the field.

We need a player with this kind of attitude, miss players like Al, Inky, Aj Johnson and Curt together was probably the closest to someone like him.

 

[KBVol]

We need a player with this kind of attitude, miss players like Al, Inky, Aj Johnson and Curt together was probably the closest to someone like him.

Al was special. Great on-field production, great leadership and natural intangibles you can't coach.

I believe JRM is a similar player and the closest thing we have to Al on team 120. When all is said and done after this season, JRM's stats will far exceed those of Wilson.....I hope he winds up having the same type of overall impact on our 2016 season that Al had on the 1998 one as well.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

:lolabove: Yeah, basically. Al Wilson required a higher standard of himself and everyone else.

Every great team has that guy that you can't look in the eye in the locker room if you leave anything on the field.

Best GIF ever. **** Jesse Palmer.

 

[Rifleman]

Until the first game is played, every team is a contender! After week one, half are contenders.

I understand this is great conventional wisdom, and the correct attitude is you are on any sideline as a coach or player, but it simply is not true.

Vanderbilt, for instance, is not remotely a contender. A winning season would be best case scenario there.

Also, Ohio State lost to VT Week 1 two years ago and hoisted the trophy, so there is no reason Tennessee would be eliminated from contention if we lost the Battle at Bristol. (Don't think we will lose there though.)

 

[Rifleman]

GEORGIA wins the sec east. VOLS not a contender this season.

Georgia has an opportunity to get to Atlanta, but the Vols do as well.

In my opinion, I would mark both as contenders. One won't cancel out the other until we meet on the field.

October 1st will be a huge day in college football if Georgia can win at Mizzou and at Ole Miss in consecutive weeks before hosting Tennessee.

I hope that is how it plays out. There is nothing better in college football than watching the hearts of Georgia fans break and to hear their insipid barking to go silent. If I could bottle that . . .

They'd say the same about us and Rocky Top, which is how it should be.

 

[VolsRule]

The SEC east will come down to the winner or UT-UGA game. UT beats florida by 10+ -- the GA game will be intense!

 

[Rifleman]

The SEC east will come down to the winner or UT-UGA game. UT beats florida by 10+ -- the GA game will be intense!

Returning Starters - Georgia will be tough, but we should outscore them if we don't turn the ball over.

Total Offense Defense

1. LSU 18 9 9
2. Tennessee 17 9 8
3. Vanderbilt 15 8 7
T4. Arkansas 14 5 9
T4. Georgia 14 8 6
T4. Kentucky 14 9 5
T7. Mississippi State 13 7 6
T7. Missouri 13 5 8
T7. South Carolina 13 5 8
T7. Texas A&M 13 6 7
T11. Alabama 11 6 5
T11. Auburn 11 6 5
T11. Florida 11 6 5
14. Ole Miss 10 5 5

 

[MrBiggles]

I'd like to get through September and October undefeated before I comment if we are contenders. Don't overlook the trip to College Station. And I'd like to beat Florida just once in 12 years.

 

[OHvol40]

I've never been so anxious for the offseason to end....

Tennessee has a really good team this year, how good is yet to be seen. I think good enough to stomp most teams we play with the exceptions of Bama, UGA, and A&M. Those three games will define our regular season.

 

[KBVol]

I've never been so anxious for the offseason to end....

Tennessee has a really good team this year, how good is yet to be seen. I think good enough to stomp most teams we play with the exceptions of Bama, UGA, and A&M. Those three games will define our regular season.

Three games? Uhhhhh, add one more.....the most important one by pretty much all accounts.

 

[OHvol40]

Three games? Uhhhhh, add one more.....the most important one by pretty much all accounts.

I believe we are much, much better than UF this year. We dominated that game last year, go back and watch the highlights, Grier single-handedly kept them alive in that game. This year in Knoxville we finish the job.

The three games I listed are the 3 teams that can potentially match us with personnel this year.

 

[KBVol]

I believe we are much, much better than UF this year. We dominated that game last year, go back and watch the highlights, Grier single-handedly kept them alive in that game. This year in Knoxville we finish the job.

The three games I listed are the 3 teams that can potentially match us with personnel this year.

Can't really disagree with anything you wrote. I just recall the final score in spite of all that. You can go back to 2014 and say that we should've won that game handily as well IMO, yet I recall that final score as well. We ought to beat Florida this year, no doubt about it........however, those are damn near annual famous last words with respect to our series with Florida. And to all of a sudden not include them amongst the most important games we gotta win this year just makes no sense to me.